The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

First let me apologise - it has been several weeks since this blog was updated. This is because I have been unwell - but I am back at my desk now and can continue with our studies.

The Messiah and the Mosaic Covenant

When we considered the Mosaic Covenant we made some suggestions as to the purpose that God had in mind when He offered and signed it. But that was an examination of the subject from an Old Testament viewpoint. Now we are in the dispensation of grace we must consider if we have more light on the subject. The answer is ‘Yes’. If we ask, ‘what was His purpose?’ we have answers readily provided by the apostle Paul, a man personally instructed in the ways of God, for he asked and answered that very question.

“What purpose then does the law serve?” (Gal. 3:19) His immediate answer is in two parts. (1) It was added because of transgressions, and (2) till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made.

The Law was added because of transgressions

As the context in Galatians makes clear, the law Paul is referring to, is the Law of Moses, which was ‘added’ 430 years after the Abrahamic covenant. It was not added to alter the provisions of the Abrahamic covenant, but rather added in order to accomplish some supplementary purpose. This meaning is further clarified when we look at the parallel verse in Rom. 5:20: “The law was added so that the trespass might increase.” In the Roman letter the word for ‘added’ (pareisēlthen) means literally “came in by a side road.”  The main road is the covenant of promise—inviolate, irrevocable. The law does not lead away from the main road, but leads back to it. It points to the same destination.

The phrase, “because of transgressions,” can mean one of two things depending on whether the preposition ‘charin’, translated either “because,” or “on account of,” is given a causal (looking backward) or telic (looking forward) force. In the former case the Law would mainly have a preventive function. It this instance it would mean the Law was designed to curb or hold in check misdeeds that were already being done, in other words, to keep a bad situation from getting even worse. But if “because” is given a telic meaning, the opposite would hold true. The Law would have a provocative purpose, its function being not to prevent sins but actually to increase them, in other words, to make an already bad situation much, much worse.

The preventive and provocative functions correspond to the civil and spiritual uses of the law as developed by Luther. Luther suggested that God ordained civil laws for the purpose of restraining evildoers. Just as a rope or chain prevents a wild animal from attacking an innocent bystander, so too the law with its “thou shalt nots” and penal code prevents sinful humanity from going on a rampage and completely destroying itself. The civil use of the law helps to sustain human society. Luther referred to the state as the “left hand of God”. But as important as the civil use of the law may be for the ordering of human society, it is at best a stopgap measure completely unable to render one righteous before God. The chief and proper use of the law, Luther said, is its provocative function, actually to increase transgressions, to make a terrible situation even more desperate, and thus to reveal to human beings their sin, blindness, misery, wickedness, ignorance, hate and contempt of God, which would ultimately lead to death, hell, judgment, and the well-deserved wrath of God. As Paul wrote, “… by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20); it was added “because of transgressions” (Gal.3.19).

The Law was added until the Seed should come

The second main reason that Paul identified, is its use to prepare the Israelite nation for their Messiah.  Paul wrote – it was added until “the Seed should come to whom the promise was made” (Gal.3.19).

Now the giving of the Law was strategically located at the birth of the nation - at the time when they enjoyed full freedom from slavery and when they had tasted the full effect of the power of God. They had been removed from the immediate influence of Egypt, especially the idolatry, and were, at that time, most open to new ideas. In other words, as a nation, they were in their infancy, and they could accept God as their Father, indeed God said, “Israel is My son, My firstborn” (Exod. 4:22). And like an infant they had to trust God to feed them and to lead them. This idea of Israel being a nation in its infancy is very important. As such it was necessary for it to be placed under a tutor, and the Law is described as such, a schoolmaster that had been commissioned to fulfill one main purpose - to lead them to Christ, their Messiah, the ‘Seed’. All activities, all lessons, all events, indeed the sum total of their education was to be directed to that purpose (Gal.3.24).

Here is a nation that is to be trained. The whole penal, social and sacerdotal code was designed to impress upon them that (i) sin brings punishment; (ii) social injustice will not be tolerated (iii) but God is merciful and the mercy of God is always available. The calendar was so ordered that every member of every generation received full instruction on how to be a member of God’s society. Moreover, if they learned their lessons well, they would be permitted to be instruments in God’s hand, to demonstrate to the other nations of the world, the benefit of being subject to the rule of the beneficent God of Israel.

More Next Time:

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